February 16: Jesus, the Way, Truth, and Life.

We’ve been walking through several of Jesus’ own declarations about his divine life found in the Gospel of John. Today let’s look at what is probably the most recognizable of these:

John 14:6. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life [zoe]. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The question, from Thomas, that launched this response concerned Heaven, or the Father’s estate, which is full of many homes. Thomas had asked “how can we know the way to the Father?” Before this, he had told them to put aside fear and trust the Father and trust him. Why should they? Because he is departing but then returning. He is going to the Father, so that, they too can go to the Father. And so the question rang out- “how can we know the way?”

And from Thomas’ question we get one of the greatest statement of Christ’s identity in all of scripture. The 6th of the 7 “I Am” statements: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Jesus tells them, “Yes, you actually do know the way, it’s me.” Frederick Bruner says that Jesus is the way to the Father, he is the truth that will guide you on the way to the Father, and he is the life that will empower you to follow the truth along the way there. And again, as we have said so many times this past week, this is not about Jesus’ teachings showing us the way, the truth, and the life. These are not 3 abstractions. It is the personal life of Jesus that is the way, truth, and life.

In other words, these things are not found in a completed course of study, or submitting to a lifestyle, or accomplishing an ethical goal. They are found in a person. In knowing him and trusting him. He is the exclusive revelation of God almighty. That is why “to live is Christ.”

This scene from C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair includes one of the greatest dialogues in the book. Watch from 7:00-8:15. Jill’s revelation that she has to trust Aslan, and Aslan’s claim of exclusivity is much like Thomas and Jesus’ conversation in John’s Gospel.